Short Term Loving
by A Sweet Dream
Summary: AU of Tales of the Abyss. Luke and Asch are twins with a dark past, and Luke has recently been given some dark news. Between his sheltered life, jealous of his brother's life and loves, and trying to get everyone closure, Luke wonders will he really live a life worth living, short or long, and will those he cares about most, even remember him. Multiple Pairings. Yaoi for sure.
1. Chapter 1

Asch groaned in his sleep some as he felt the heat of his body rise some. Green eyes opened and a grumble from him as he'd look down to see familiar red hair and the sensation of being nuzzled coursed through him. The male sighed as a bare hand went through the hair and the other body whimpered. "Hey drek… It's just a rainstorm…" The male murmured and since there was no one to see him, he cuddled against his twin. "We are okay." He whispered into the other's ear. Luke had snuck in once gain and fallen asleep next to his brother while crying. The sound of the other's voice soothed him from his nightmares and he hummed.

The storm would rage throughout the night, and yet at the first sign of light, asch would pull from his twin with a sigh. Moving from his bed, he poked his head outside his bedroom door, not a soul in the halls yet, it was the perfect time. A weak whine of protest would be heard from Luke as his body was lifted from the bed, green eyes rolling to his twin's complaints he carried him to his own room and put him in his sheets. " I'm not explaining to dad or mom why you still cuddle me." He whispered to the stirring boy, Smirking when Luke pouted and had grabbed the more serious twin's hand in protest to him leaving, though not yanking it to keep him. " Stay…" Luke pleaded lowly and Asch sighed but pulled his hand from him. " You know better. Go on and go back to sleep. They'll think you are ill if you are up early."

As he would close the door to Luke's room, the older twin came face to face with a blond male who served their family for some time. " Oh! Guy! You gave me a scare… Why are you up so early?" Asch spoke in hushed tone and Guy perked a brow and looked to the door he moved from. "I could ask the same thing and why you are coming from Master Luke's room." The other retorted and Asch scoffed and deadpanned. " Why are YOU approaching his room early then and alone? No training is scheduled today." The blond haired man blushed a crimson red at the older twin snickered before leaning against his own door. "Come here, Servant."

The blond blinked but followed easily to the twin crooking his finger and giving him a come hither look. The servant following the man into the bedroom and closing the door behind him, it would lock to the outside world. In his own room, Luke sat up, much better a listener than his family or friends ever gave him credit for. His cheeks flustered, knowing exactly what Asch and Guy would do, he pouted in his jealousy before scoffing and throwing his blankets over his head and burying himself in his pillows.

-

Luke sighed as he pulled his white T-shirt down and the doctor gave a hum as he made some notes on his clipboard. A routine he had become accustomed to every few weeks since he was a child. After an incident as a child where both him and his brother had been kidnapped, Luke had always been a more frail twin though he never let many others know it. It wasn't the first appointment his parent's missed, but his twin was right next to him and now holding his hand. "Well? Any change?" Asch spoke up for them and the doctor frowned and scrunched his nose. "Yes… and No." Asch growled and glared at the man. " What the hell does that mean?!"

The younger of the two gripped the familiar hand tighter and looked ot an identical pair of green eyes. " H-hey calm down!" The doctor having ignored the outburst from the more volatile twin, he wrote down more notes. "Well Master Luke, you are physically improving, outwardly… But, something is off with you, internally." Luke looked a bit spooked and confused where as Asch actually looked worried. " What do you mean?" Luke inquired softly. The doctor looked them up and down and then back to Luke. " He doesn't have to be in here if you don't want him to know…" The doctor having long since gotten use to the rest of Luke's family coping with his conditions by simply ignoring or remaining ignorant of the issues the younger twin had, anytime Asch came, things often got violent with Asch blaming the doctoring staff for anything negative.

Luke shook his head. " N-no, it's okay, what's up?" He inquired softly and the doctor furrowed his brow. " You're separating at the seams." The older twin for once didn't respond with violence, and instead paled, where as Luke stiffened and then just looked to the ground. " O-oh! Oh…. Because of?" He didn't finish the question but the doctor nodded and sighed. " It's not that unusual with twins though. We've never been able to explain it, and you've lived much longer than the average twin… But the trauma is we-" " GET OUT! Get out of my fucking house!" Asch would scream before actually pushing the man out of his way and pulling a confused Luke with him.

On their path to where ever Asch was taking them, they bumped into Guy who was confused when Asch for once didn't acknowledge him at all and Luke barely got out a ' Hi' and then a ' Bye' as he was pulled along. Throughout their estate he was dragged till he found himself standing in their old nursery and Asch closed the door and locked it, leaning against it with an angry growl and then sigh. Luke sort of just stood there without anything to really say at first. "Asch, it's not your fa-" " I know that! I know that very well damn it! But it's not fair!" The younger twin tilted his head at his counterpart's distress and watch him kick an old toy and then sit in a rocking chair with a rather pathetic pout, venting in his own way. Luke sighed softly and held a bitter smile, he moved to be on his knees besides the other and his head rested on Asch's lap with a hum. " Hey, we had a good run. Mom and Dad don't even pay attention to me anymore. It's not a big deal anymore. Just, don't tell anyone at school… Okay?" Asch growled and pulled Luke from the ground and into his lap.

"You'll break the chair stupid, put me down!" Luke protested with a weak laugh, Asch held him close and nuzzled his face against Luke's chest and said nothing as his own eyes watered for once and Luke blinked before petting his brother's head. " Hey now, what's with these waterworks. I'm the crybaby, didn't you just bring me to my bed this morning?" Asch mumbled something incoherently against the other and Luke remained petting him. "They just started letting me go outside again too… We were still suppose to go see the Ocean together. And go to the Festivals around the kingdom… I even got to go to school with you finally… I'm learning so much…" The younger spoke in soft but cracking voice, his own tears finally coming up and falling too. Asch would look up into his mirrored image and frown before nuzzling his brother's cheek. "N-no! No don't think like that! We'll fix this! I'll get da to find someone, something! Anything! You'll see!" Asch tried to encourage his brother to not cry, knowing his own waterworks weren't helping the situation but they wouldn't stop falling.

Luke chuckled bitterly and yet he enjoyed being close with his brother. Before he could say much more, the chair finally started to creak and crack, and after a moment of them struggling to try and get up, they both feel a short distance to the ground after the chair broke beneath their weight. Asch groaning and Luke following before Luke laughed despite his tears and Asch grumbled. "It's not that funny!" Luke laughed harder and Asch pushed his brother off before snickering under his own breath and wiping away his tears. " It so is! I told you it would!" Asch scoffed. " Yeah yeah, okay smarty pants, not all of us can be the logical one 24/7" The twins laughed together despite their recent grim news. " I'm pretty sure that's actually you like 90% of the time." Luke mocked. " I will throw this broken chair at you!" "What!? No! Hey! Wait! Stop! I'm sorry!" The other pleaded as he fumbled to the door and with it's lock to try and run out, being successful till her turned a corner and a curious Guy was crashed into and landed a top of. " Ugh, ow! Guy? Oh, sorr-Aaah!"

Luke would have finished his apology had his brother not slid out of the room, looking ready to attack his brother though not violently, more in a tickling method. " Guy! Protect me from your boyfriend! Go shield go!" Luke spoke yanking the other up and the confused blond turned as red as the twins hair as the jest from Luke was so bold and both him and Asch denied any kind of relations. Though such denial was not heard by an already exited Luke and the two were left with bright red cheeks and their own confused feelings of their implied relationship knowing full well how their physical relations went.

A/N: Hey there guys and gals. This story is suppose to be potentially very sad, but also smutty as hell, and completely and utterly AU'd fromt he original ToA. Fonons and such exist, but the background is a bit different. Anyways, tons of pairings and fetishes will be running amok. Asch/Guy Luke/Asch Luke/Guy Asch/Guy/Luke and even some Luke/Van. Jade, Natalia, Anise, Tear, will be around as well as other characters, no fears!

Any questions, comments, or complaints are welcomed to be inboxed or put as Reviews here! Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

The wind felt so nice on his skin, leaning against his warmth, humoring him in his needs. The two males having skipped their classes on a last minute whim. He was grateful the other would humor him. A hand running through his red hair made him hum to the touch as a chill ran down his spine. " Luke…" The other's voice was soft and deep, he could melt into it right now. Green eyes opened with a flutter of crimson lashes and he glanced up to blue eyes against tan skin and he smiled softly. " Yes, Van?" He inquired and his smile was met with one in return. " You can't skip all your classes today, Luke." The redhead scrunched his nose and a finger went to the other's lips. " Hush! No one told you to come visit me today. You could be at the academy studying, but no, you decide to spend time with a kid like me." He fussed the other lightly who snorted to the words.

Sitting up, he gave a stretch and yawn. "You could have said no, when I asked you too." He stated softly with a nonchalant glance over his shoulder and a brown brow perked for a second, a cocky expression on the other's face. " And upset my favorite student, now that wouldn't be very nice of me." Luke scoffed and threw a loose bit of grass at the other. "Now you lie to my face, I'm hurt. Everyone knows Asch is your favorite. That's why he's apart of your guild and I'm not!" Luke stated as he moved to scramble up when Van reached out for him. A laugh escaping him as Van missed grabbing at him and he managed to escape the other. " That's not true! I just don't want you to hurt yourself!" Van retorted as he moved to get up and Luke stuck his tongue out at the other. " Asch and Guy worry and baby me enough! I don't need you to do it as well!" Luke retaliated as it turns out, for as big as he was, Van was quite fast, and Luke found himself grabbed by the other again. Laughing and trying to escape the other's bear like hold. " I don't want to go back! Put me down Van! I'll be good tomorrow, promise!"

Luke felt himself be carried like a sack of potatoes and continued to fuss as Van would carry him back in the direction of his school. "C-Come on, put me down! No one probably even knows I'm gone!" He huffed and puffed, Van actually stopping for a moment to look the other over. Lke's bright green eyes blinking up to the other with a head tilt. " O-oh, you actually stopped?" The younger shifted in his place a bit uncomfortable now with how Van was staring him down. " Is that what you really believe?" His voice was dark, and even almost angry with Luke. The twin shifted again where he was placed as the question was so serious, he really had to think how to answer it.

A hand went to rub at his other arm and his eyes broke contact from those ocean blue ones. A 'Tsk' from Luke as he wished to be anywhere but here now. " W-well yeah! I mean, they already don't notice me now, right? I-it's for the best anyways." The other spoke and he could hear Van growl and looke dup to see his friend and mentor with a rather intimidating glare on his features. " Tear would be at a complete loss if you just went missing. And What of Asch and Guy, Anise even would be so worried about you. You are lucky my sister knows I'm in town or I assure you they'd all be out scouring the town for you." Luke pouted as he was fussed and his eyes couldn't look at the other, choosing the ground instead. His cheeks were burning with heat and he sniffled, when did he start crying? Still, he shot up his own glare with a huff. " What do you know?! You're never even here anymore! You only come on a rare occassion! I don't even get to see them that much! T-that stupid doctor you and my family chose keeps trying to have me drop out! 'Too sick' for school he says! Who even asked for a doctor! You don't know how they feel about me anymore! And my own parents barely notice me! They don't even talk to me that much anymore! Tear is so caught up in her studies and Anise has been assisting that lunatic Scientist jerk! Asch and Guy have each other, but who do I have Van? Who do I have to cry on? I can't cry to Asch, he's already dealing with so much!" Luke felt like he was screaming even though so much of it was spoken with a broken voice and water was falling from his eyes like rapids.

Van stared him down, unwavering in his stern expression, but listening, yes, he did always listen to him, even if it was nonsense. The bubbling youth let out a squeak as tanned hands came up to his face and wiped the tears away and the stern expression ended with a sigh. " C'mon, back to school with you." Van spoke, tossing Luke over his shoulder, the redhead letting out a startled yelp but relenting to being carried. His face buried into the back that his front half hung against, hands gripping the fabric of the man's shirt, he quietly sobbed into it. Van's hand was rubbing his back and he hushed the other with quiet coos, something much softer than Van usually resorted too. Normally he'd give him a sword and tell him to beat the anger out of himself and others on the blades and targets.

Upon reaching the school, he found himself being fussed by the Student council president and Disciplinary council heads of the student body. Two green haired brothers, one who was also a part of Van's group, Luke hung his head and sniffled, a tan hand ruffling his hair as Van was glancing around the old halls he use to attended. Ion sighed and gave a soft smile, grabbing Luke's hands gently and tugging. "C'mon, lets go get you clocked in and to class!" Luke would blink but smile softly and nod with another sniffle, Sync growling. " He's late for a 3rd time this month, you can't just let him off!" He fussed and before he could pursue him, Van held the other back and shook his head, Ion glancing back to his brother with a bright smile and wave of one hand, completely disregarding the other's want to punish Luke. 

Upon arriving to class with Ion, he was met with a scolding look form Asch, his twin, and then saw Tear look up from her book with a bright smile and blink, happy to see him return. The younger twin stiffening for a minute to the different expressions and thinking on what Van had said, he gave a small bow of his head to his teacher and took his seat between the two, feeling a hand to the back of his head, he gave a quiet hiss and glared at his brother. Asch having open hand smacked the other upside the head, Ion gave a brief chuckle at the front of the class form having watched them before dismissing himself to his own period. Tear however was quick to check the other and when the class ended, she checked again and scolded Asch. " You can't be so rough with him!" She huffed and Asch gave a scoff to her. " You can't make me be gentle to him." He stated firmly and Luke watched the two begin to bicker as they walked to class, silent as he held his books to his chest and watched them, cheeks turning pink a bit in embarrassment.

Van had been right that the others cared, and he knew it even then, but it was more grounding seeing it after crying about it. The duke's son began to smile softly as his eyes left them and he looked to the ground for a moment. " H-hey, guys?" The two bickering young adults turned their heads at the same time, breaking a glaring match between them to look at the other, angry expressions both quickly turning to concern at a teary eyed Luke. " I'm really glad to have you two in my life! I really really am!" Tear would have hugged him but Asch did so instead, though only a one armed embrace pulling his sickly twin to him. " Hey, stop the waterworks at school Drek, you'll give us all a heart attack, and what's with that goofy grin while you're smiling. You alright?" Tear nodded to Asch's words, though smacked his arm for calling Luke 'Drek' again. " Yeah, are you okay, Luke? You've been really quiet since you got here today? It wasn't my brother was it?" Luke heard an audible growl from his brother at the mention of Van indirectly and snickered some, shaking his head and wiping his own tears away. " I'm fine, and no, it's not Van. I just, I'm really happy but overwhelmed lately… It's fine." Tear furrowed her brows as she was unaware of his separation occurring, but knew he had been sick this last year of their secondary education days. " If you are not feeling well, we can get you a note from the nurse's office?" Luke paled and sh0ok hsi head. " N-no, not like that, really! I'm fine! I've missed enough class! Besides, bell's about to ring! See you after school!"

As they had to part before heading to another class, Luke's stomach let out quite the sound and his cheeks turned as red as his hair. " Stay away from Van, Luke." The younger tilted his head to his twin after his thoughts were dragged away from food with that statement. " What? Why?" Asch snorted and pulled the other to class. " Just don't go near him again, okay? Something's up, and I don't trust it!" The other spoke and Luke immediately began to pout and puff up. " You're not the boss of me! Van actually is the reason I'm here today! I'll go around him if I want!" He fussed and Asch turn on his heel with a glare, slamming his twin to wall without a care as other students filtered in. "YES. I. AM. Stay away from Van!" Asch snarled before pushing away from the wall, moving to his seat without even attempting an apology. Luke was pale but his cheeks were bright red and he was torn being upset and confused before pouting and moving to his seat and spending the rest of his school day in that exact mood.

A/N : Sorry for the late as sin update. I know characters are not exactly canon to their personalities, but this story isn't really canon to their world completely either, and I'm not the best writer, I still hope you'll continue to read it and enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing it. All the characters are about 18-19 at this point, with Van still being 26-27ish, instead of near 30 in this. Just as a heads up to their ages.


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